Sobering process

I keep coming back to how the process of growing and waking up is a process of sobering up as well.

It is a process of clarifying stories, of finding what is more true for me than beliefs. And in this process, there is a falling away of hopes and fears, of illusions of stories having truths in them other than as practical guidelines, helpful sometimes and not so helpful other times.

It is a process of maturing in the most ordinary ways.

It is a humbling process. A process of recognizing that I don’t know. I may be familiar with a great range of stories about particular topics, and use them in a practical way, but I still don’t know.

It is a process of recognizing that nothing is special. It is all the play of Ground. The basic insights are available to anyone. Whatever I see in the wider world is also right here, and it is also all the play of my own overlay of images and stories. (And at the same time, everything is special. It is a miracle. Awe inspiring. Unique.)

It is a process of valuing conventional views and insights. Of taking them seriously, as useful pointers and guidelines.

It is a process of recognizing that this human self is not special. Whatever I see in the wider world is also right here, and whatever I experience is shared by many others. There are no special insights here. No special tragedy. No special gifts. No special sorrows. There is a beauty in recognizing that we are all in the same boat. (And also acknowledge the uniqueness of everything.)

It is a process of gratitude and appreciation. Of gratitude and appreciation for everything and everyone, as is, because it is all an invitation to grow and wake up, and it is all the play of existence. It is how existence expresses, experiences and explores itself.

It is a process of recognizing the absence of a doer and observer. Everything has infinite causes and effects. Everything is happening on its own, on its own time, coming and going as a guest. Everything is the play of Ground.

It is a process of recognizing that everything is already allowed. All content of experience is already allowed, as is. When I resist, there is a sense of something being off. When I align with what already is, there is a sense of coming home.

It is a process of taking who and what I am seriously, of not telling myself stories putting one over the other. When what I am notices itself, there is still the process of living this with as much integrity as possible.

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Initial outline…

sobering process

clarity around stories

mature in the most ordinary way + good feedback from conventional views

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2 thoughts to “Sobering process”

I recently went to see Eckhart Tolle when he spoke in Sydney, and I wrote an article which will be published shortly. In trying write a clear impression of his ideas, I had to get my head around his concepts of Ego.
You sound as though you are speaking about dealing with the intrusive Ego, which is always trying to define our individuality, and superiority. It also holds our identity within our concept of history and dreams of future. But, according to Tolle neither of these exist (not past or future) there is just Now. By living within the Now, this moment, we become conscious of that inner spirit, or universal consciousness, that is the only thing that is a constant from moment to moment. It can be that in the analaysis of these types of ideas, we loose the thread of just Being, as our Ego intrudes again, labeling, and categorising as good and bad.
Have you read A New Earth, by Tolle. I enjoyed most of it, and it came to me at a time when I was looking into the effects of Ego, and for that it was enlightening. He also speaks about a Pain Body, but I am not too sure what I think of that, though.
Paula Christiehttp://paulachristielifecenter.blogspot.com/